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Published: October 9th 2014
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Hanoi is a 1000 year old city that served as the political center of Vietnam during most of its history. It is the national capital, main city in the north, a big railroad junction and a good starting point for some of Vietnam’s most spectacular destinations. The city itself lies on the banks of the Red River and its branches, surrounded by mountains on the north and the west. Unlike its southern competitor (Ho Chi Minh City) it has specific traditional mentality, which is probably the reason why its economy still lags behind. What this two cities have in common, though, is a regular control of order and peace by the police, something that smaller cities have mostly managed to avoid.
Urbanism The form of Hanoi is determined by the direction of the
Red River and the position of the
West Lake. Between those two the magnificent
Old town still holds most of the urban grid traced in the 13
th century, when all different kinds of craftsmen came here and divided the area between themselves based on the type of goods traded (for instance sugar, silk or jewelry). To the west, the recently rediscovered Old Citadel with its watch
towers and museums surrounds the Old Town. To the south, the
French quarter with its elegant colonial buildings is home to several lakes, among which the
Hoan Kiem Lake is the most popular.
You may view the whole text here:
http://happyfrogtravels.com/guide-hanoi-vietnam-between-rivers/
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